• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2010

Follicular cystic ovary (FCO) is one of the major causes of reproductive failure in cattle. Genetic alterations affect the function of diverse cells and/or tissues, which could be present in cystic ovaries. A microarray analysis was performed to screen differential gene expressions in follicular cystic follicles of cattle. In this study, we hypothesized that follicular cysts may be induced by changes in ion- and transporter-related gene expression. Microarray data showed that fibrinogen-gamma (FGG) and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8) were up-regulated, while choline transporter-like protein 4 (SLC44A4), very long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase homolog 2 (SLC27A5), annexin 8 (ANXA8), and aquaporin 4 were down-regulated in follicular cystic follicles. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to validate DEGs altered in follicular cystic follicles. Of six DEGs, three DEGs (FGG, SLC44A4, and aquaporin 4) showed a positive correlation between microarray and semi-quantitative PCR data. We focused on FGG, among three DEGs, which was highly up-regulated in follicular cystic follicles. The FGG mRNA was upregulated by 8.4-fold and by 1.7-fold in the bovine follicular cystic follicles as judged by microarray and RT-PCR analysis, respectively. However, there was no significant changes in the expression level of FGG protein in both follicular cystic follicles and granulosa cells isolated from follicular cystic follicles by Western blot analysis. Although this study does not reveal a positive correlation between the mRNA and protein level, FGG appears to be an important biomarker in the discrimination of follicular cyst from normal ovary.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the dietary supplementation of fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus (HE) mushroom on lipid profiles of serum and histological changes of the liver in rats with high fat and cholesterol diet. Five-week old female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each: The normal control diet (NC group), high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC group), and HFC diet supplemented with 5% fruiting powder of Hericium erinaceus (HFC+HE group). In the HFC+HE group, serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly reduced compared with the NC group. Body weight gain of those in the HFC+HE group were lower than those in the HFC group; whereas HFC+HE had no effect on the levels of plasma albumin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, glucose, and total protein. The enzyme activities related to the liver function, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were lower in the NC group than in the HFC group, but without significance. Feeding the mushroom increased the excretion of total lipid and cholesterol. A histopathological analysis showed that the those in the HFC group developed hepatic steatosis, whereas those in the HFC+HE group developed small fat droplet. In conclusion, these results suggest that 5% HE supplementation to HFC diet provided health benefits by acting on lowering atherogenic lipid profile in rats with high fat and cholesterol diet.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum ferritin and the metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,444 adults over age 40 and under age 70 that lived in a rural area and participated in a survey conducted as part of the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study (KRGCS). The MS was defined as the presence of at least three of the followings : elevated blood pressure, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated serum triglycerides, elevated plasma glucose, or abdominal obesity. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), odds ratios (ORs) for the prevalence of the MS by sex were calculated for quartiles of serum ferritin using logistic regression analysis. Results : The MS was more common in those persons , with the highest levels of serum ferritin, compared to persons with the lowest levels, in men (37.1% vs. 22.4%, p=0.006) and women (58.8% vs. 34.8, p<0.001). In both sexes, the greater the number of MS components presents, the greater the serum ferritin levels. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, and menopausal status, the OR for metabolic syndrome, comparing the fourth quartile of ferritin with the first quartile, was 2.21 (95% confidence interval; CI=1.26-3.87; p-trend=0.024) in men and 2.10 (95% CI=1.40-3.17; p-trend=0.001) in women. However, after further adjustment for BMI, hs-CRP, and ALT, the ORs were statistically attenuated in both sexes. Conclusions : Moderately elevated serum ferritin levels were not independently associated with the prevalence of the MS after adjusting for other risk factors. Further studies are needed to obtain evidence concerning the association between serum ferritin levels and the MS.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.601-607
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• 1997

This study was designed to investigate the biochemical pollutant marker for diagnosis of marine pollutions by the changes in lipid components of the flounder (Pleuronichthys cornutus) in the Yellow Sea of Korea. Hemoglobin levels in serum of wild flounders in the yellow Sea were significantly lower $(15\~30\%)$ than those of wild flounder in Pohang (control) of the East Sea. Triglyceride (TG) contents in serum of wild flounders in the Yellow Sea were higher $(15\~50\%)$ than those of wild flounder in Pohang. Total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol contents in serum of flounders in the Yellow Sea were significantly higher $(20\~25\%\;and\;15\~35\%,\;respectively)$ than those of wild flounder in Pohang. Atherogenic index (Al) in serum of wild flounders in the Yellow Sea were significantly higher $(10\~60\%)$ than these of wild flounder in Pohang but T-Chol/PL ratios showed almost no change in serum of flounders in the Yellow Sea we examined. These results suggest that near-coastal water as well as neritic water of the Yellow Sea might be affected by pollutant input.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.908-917
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• 2003

It has been proposed that oxidative modification of LDL (oxLDL) plays a significant role in the pathogenicity of atherogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that chitin and chitosan may function as antioxidants with respect to 0.1 mg cholesterol/ml LDL incubated with 5 $\mu$ M Cu$^2$$^{+}$alone or in the P338Dl mouse macrophage system using L-ascorbic acid as a standard classical antioxidant. The degree of oxLDL formation was ascertained by the relative electrophoretic mobility (rEM) in the combination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, and the cytotoxicity of oxLDL was detected by macrophage viability. The oxLDL uptake and foam cell formation of macrophages were measured by Oil Red O staining. Incubation with Cu$^2$$^{+}$and macrophages increased rEM of LDL and stimulated TBARS formation. Culture of macrophages with LDL in the presence 5 $\mu$ M Cu$^2$$^{+}$induced macrophage death. In cell-free system 200 $\mu$g/ml water-soluble chitosan and chitosan-oligosaccharide blocked oxLDL formation. Water-soluble chitosan and chitosan-oligosaccharide blocked oxLDL formation near-completely relative to L-ascorbic acid, whereas water-soluble chitin and chitin-oligosaccharide had no measurable antioxidant effect. In macrophage system water-soluble chitosan and chitosan-oligosaccharide blocked oxidation of LDL with a significant increase in cell viability, and decreased TBARS in medium. As for the inhibitory effect on macrophage foam cell formation, chitosan and its oligosaccharide, but not watersoluble chitin, revealed the effectiveness. The endothelial expression of lectin-like oxLDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) was tested by Western blot analysis, and chitosan, chitosan-oligosaccharide and chitin-oligosaccharide blocked LOX-1 expression. These results indicate that water-soluble chitosan and its oligosaccharide showed the inhibitory effect on Cu$^2$$^{+}$-induced LDL oxidation of macrophages, and chitosan, chitosan-oligosaccharide and chitin-oligosaccharide had blocking effect on oxLDL receptor expression in the human umbilical vein endothelial system. Thus, water-soluble chitosan and its oligosaccharides possess anti-atherogenic potentials possibly through the inhibition of macrophage LDL oxidation or endothelial oxLDL receptor expression depending on chemical types.l types.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Purpose: Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (PSP) have been investigated in vitro and in animals and found to have a protective effect against oxidative hepatic damage. In this study, we investigated that aqueous extract of PSP can ameliorate the dysfunction of lipid metabolism in mice fed a high fat/cholesterol diet. Methods: Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8) and fed one of the following diets for 8 weeks; normal fat (NF) diet; high fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet; HFC with 1.25% PSP (HFPL) diet; HFC with 2.5% PSP (HFPM) diet; HFC with 5% PSP (HFPH) diet. Results: Non-alcoholic fatty liver was manifested in the HFC group by showing increased levels in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased level of TC and presence of many large lipid droplets in the liver, and increased fat cell size in the HFC group compared with the NF group. However, administration of HFC induced a significant decrease in food intake, resulting in decrease in fat mass. Co-administration of PSP did not lead to reversal of body weight changes, ALT activity, and lipid levels in plasma and the liver, but suppressed excess enlargement of the fat cell size through increasing carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) gene expression in the liver. Accordingly, the number of fat droplets in the liver was reduced in PSP administered groups. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that PSP may have a protective effect on the dysfunction of lipid metabolism. Conduct of further studies on the coordinated regulation of PSP for lipid metabolic homeostasis at the liver-adipose tissue axis is needed.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2007

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a serine protease catalyzing the proteolytic conversion of plasminogen into plasmin, which is involved in thrombolysis. During last two decades, the role of tPA in brain physiology and pathology has been extensively investigated. tPA is expressed in brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum, and major neural cell types such as neuron, astrocyte, microglia and endothelial cells express tPA in basal status. After strong neural stimulation such as seizure, tPA behaves as an immediate early gene increasing the expression level within an hour. Neural activity and/or postsynaptic stimulation increased the release of tPA from axonal terminal and presumably from dendritic compartment. Neuronal tPA regulates plastic changes in neuronal function and structure mediating key neurologic processes such as visual cortex plasticity, seizure spreading, cerebellar motor learning, long term potentiation and addictive or withdrawal behavior after morphine discontinuance. In addition to these physiological roles, tPA mediates excitotoxicity leading to the neurodegeneration in several pathological conditions including ischemic stroke. Increasing amount of evidence also suggest the role of tPA in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis even though beneficial effects was also reported in case of Alzheimer's disease based on the observation of tPA-induced degradation of $A{\beta}$ aggregates. Target proteins of tPA action include extracellular matrix protein laminin, proteoglycans and NMDA receptor. In addition, several receptors (or binding partners) for tPA has been reported such as low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) and annexin II, even though intracellular signaling mechanism underlying tPA action is not clear yet. Interestingly, the action of tPA comprises both proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanism. In case of microglial activation, tPA showed non-proteolytic cytokine-like function. The search for exact target proteins and receptor molecules for tPA along with the identification of the mechanism regulating tPA expression and release in the nervous system will enable us to better understand several key neurological processes like teaming and memory as well as to obtain therapeutic tools against neurodegenerative diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.971-979
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of Cheongsimyeonja-tang on the human body. Methods: This was a retrospective study, conducted using electronic medical records (EMR). Appropriate clinical cases were identified and databased through EMR. Changes of vital signs, blood tests, and functional tests before and after taking Cheongsimyeonja-tang were determined. Results: There were several significant changes after taking Cheongsimyeonja-tang. Hemoglobin, total blood proteins, and total bilirubin were increased. Eosinophil, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased. Conclusions: Cheonseomyeonja-tang had significant effects, including improvement of blood cell count (increase of red blood cells and hemoglobin), improvement of blood lipid level (decrease of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol), and blood pressure control (reduction of systolic blood pressure).

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.10
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• pp.24.1-24.8
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• 2018

Background: Following the ban on the importation of import-dependent fed ingredients in most developing countries, the need to look inward for local content is now compelling. Thus, leaf meals that have phytogenic additive potentials are envisaged will be a viable feed ingredient in rabbit diets. Methods: The effect of dietary inclusion of gliricidia leaf meal (GLM) with or without multi-enzyme (E) supplementation in rabbits was investigated using ninety-six 35-day old rabbits of crossbreed (Newzealand and Chinchilla). One basal diet that met the requirements of growing rabbit was formulated (Diet 1). Thereafter, another two diets were formulated to contain 15% GLM and 15% GLM plus multi-enzyme at 1 g/kg and designated as diets 2 and 3 respectively. The rabbits were randomly distributed into the 3 diets (32 rabbits/treatment; 4 rabbits/replicate) and fed their respective experimental diets for 8 weeks. Results: The body weight and daily weight gain of the rabbits fed on GLM free diet and those on GLM-based diets (diets 1 and 2) were similar at finishing period of 63-91 day but have lower (P < 0.01) values than those rabbits fed GLM + E based diet (diet 3) at finishing period (63-91 days) and whole fattening period (35-91 days). The apparent dry matter and crude protein digestibility of rabbits fed control diet and those fed 15% GLM based diet were lower (P < 0.05) than those fed 15% GLM + E-based diet. Triglycerides concentration of rabbits fed 15% GLM-based diet without enzyme addition were lower (P < 0.05) than those observed for rabbits on the rest test diets. Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein levels of rabbits fed 15% GLM and 15% GLM + E-based diets were lower (P < 0.05) than those fed the GLM free diet. The superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase of rabbits fed the GLM free diet (diet 1) were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those fed the 15%GLM and 15% GLM + E-based diets. Conclusion: Dietary inclusion of GLM at 15% of the diet did not have a negative effect on the rabbits postweaning period (35-63 days) but will require multi-enzyme supplementation to enhance growth indices at finishing period (63-91 day) without precipitating negative effect on the rabbits' health status.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 1997

The antioxidant activities of Korean Red Ginseng Extract(RGE) and ${\alpha}-tocopherol$, as reference compound, were tested with HPLC and fluorometry which measure the MDA after reacting an aqueous 1% linoleic acid buffer solution, and LDL(1 mg protein/ml) buffer solution with $H_2O_2{\;}and{\;}FeCl_2$. The generation of conjugated-diene in LDL(0.25 mg protein/ml) was also measured by spectrometry. MDA determination showed the antioxidant effect on linoleic acid oxidation with oxidation inhibition ratio of 71.8% and 76.1%, respectively, by addition of 1000 ppm RGE and 100 ppm ${\alpha}-tocopherol$. LDL(1 mg protein/ml) oxidation was inhibited by 25.2% and 21.2%, respectively, by addition of 200 ppm REG and 100 ppm ${\alpha}-tocopherol$. The generation of conjugated diene in LDL(0.25 mg protein/ml) was also inhibited by 44.2%, by addition of 50 ppm RGE.